Afghanistan War Correspondent To Speak at powerHouse Arena

April 5, 2012 Brooklyn Eagle Staff

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DUMBO — On Monday, April 23, from 7 to 9 p.m. at the powerHouse Arena, 37 Main St., Ben Anderson, author of No Worse Enemy: The Inside Struggle of the Chaotic Struggle for Afghanistan, will discuss his book with Michael Hastings, a writer who is well known for his coverage of the Iraq War.

The withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan has been much debated in the last few weeks, but a bigger question is whether or not Western forces being in the country has made a difference. Over the last 10 years that U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan, reports have stated that we are making headway, the Taliban is on its last legs and the tipping point is close, but then the Taliban gradually return.

Ben spent the better part of five years on the front lines with the British Army and the U.S. Marines documenting what is going on in the war in Afghanistan. His book charts the progress of President Obama’s counter-insurgency strategy and details how it has descended into a quagmire, with ever-increasing levels of violence.

As the only journalist to have seen all the campaigns under President Obama, Anderson has a unique perspective on both the experiences of the troops and the Afghan people. When he had his video footage translated, he was shocked to find that the Afghan people trusted the Taliban more than they trusted the Afghan Army. Some of this footage was a part of The Battle for Marjah, his award-winning documentary for HBO Films.

In addition to his books and films, Anderson has written for The Times of London, Esquire, London Review of Books, Daily Mirror and The Daily Mail. When not reporting in the field, he lives in London.